1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a portable conversion system to convert massage tables into hrydo wet tables and Vichy showers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Day spas, destination spas, hair salons, health and fitness centers are now offering spa treatments given by professional massage therapists and estheticians that require a treatment table that allows water to be brought to the client on the treatment table to either wet the skin, rinse the skin or massage the skin. Spa treatments are also being offered that require several shower heads to be placed above the client on the massage table for the purpose a hydro pressure massage and to rinse the skin. There are currently available for this purpose wet-tables that are made out of molded plastic with a waterproof pad that the client lays on. Most of these tables are designed for use only in a wet-room, which is a tiled room with a floor drain so that the water drains from the table to the floor and to a floor drain. Wet-rooms are very expensive to construct with a minimum investment of $10,000 and most buildings are leased by the spa. Wet-rooms are also less comfortable than normal treatment rooms and are more likely to have accidents as a result of slipping on a wet floor.
The rooms required for prior art tables are expensive to build and are difficult to retrofit due to the plumbing requirements. A standard massage table is also required as a normal function of the business, thereby increasing the cost to the professional. Most spas are privately owned business by owners who are estheticians or massage therapists that have limited capital to invest in equipment. They also have limited capital to invest in major facility renovations on buildings which are leased for use as a spa for a limited period of time. The day spa and destination spa is a rapidly growing industry with more than 100,000 licensed massage therapist in the USA and more than 18,000 in Florida alone. According to a recent study published in Day Spa Magazine, February 2000, 93% of day spas offer massage treatments, 89% offer body scrubs which can be done best on a wet-table and 25% offer other forms of hydrotherapy treatments. According to the survey, 10% of existing spas plan to add hydrotherapy systems designed to provide treatments that could be done with the disclosed system.
The disclosed system overcomes the foregoing problems by affordably transforming any conventional massage table into a hydro wet-table. Because the disclosed system allows treatments to be done in a normal treatment room and does not require a wet-room, spas that want to do hydro wet-table treatments but cannot afford a wet-room will now have the option to offer hydro wet-table treatments.
The disclosed system also improves hygiene compared to conventional wet-tables where the client lays on a foam pad, by using a vinyl cloth that covers the massage table surface and then another piece of comfortable, washable cloth is placed on the table that the client lays on. This additional cloth is machined washed after each treatment with a disinfectant for maximum hygiene.
The disclosed system enables a conventional massage table to be used both as a massage table and a hydro wet-table at the same time, eliminating the need for specially built tables and rooms by permitting the hydro wet-table treatments to be done in a normal treatment room. The client benefits from the full comfort of a massage table for massage treatments and hydro wet-table treatments and the client does not need to leave the treatment table during a series of massage and hydro wet-table treatments. This means that more treatments can be done in one room, which improves the profitability of the room space by making it more multi-purpose. On other wet-tables, the client is laying on an uncomfortable pad during the wet-table treatment.
The disclosed system enables the conversion of a massage table to a hydrotherapy wet-table through use of a frame dimensioned to have an interior perimeter slightly greater than the massage table exterior perimeter. The frame consists of a foot panel having a horizontal foot brace and a foot upright affixed to the foot brace at approximately a right angle. A pair of prongs extend from the foot brace and are dimensioned to be received by holes within a first end of the massage table. The frame also has a head panel having a substantially horizontal head brace, with a head upright affixed to the head brace at approximately a right angle. Preferably the head brace incorporates a head hole that extends through the head brace and aligning with a head hole in the massage table to enable a user to lie face down.
A head support, consisting of a support panel and a pair of prongs is placed within a second end of the massage table to provide support for the head panel. The head support can be dimensioned to raise the head panel slightly to run water down toward the foot of the table. Sidepieces are connected to the foot and head uprights to complete the frame. Preferably the head and foot uprights are slightly shorter than the foot and head braces, enabling the sidepieces to rest on the braces. In an alternate embodiment, the sidepieces can be two or more lengths to enable the sidepieces to be folded for additional portability.
A waterproof sheet is used to cover the massage table and frame and is maintained in place by releasable attachments members. A cover cloth is preferably placed over the waterproof liner to provide for user comfort.
To prevent water build up, a drain hole is placed within the foot brace, and connected to a drain system. In one embodiment the drain system is a water recycling system comprising a pump, a hand held shower and a retaining vessel to receive water from the wet-table. The pump pumps water from the retaining vessel to the hand held shower, thereby circulating said water. Preferably the recycling system has a heater within said retaining vessel to maintain the water at a predetermined temperature.
The system can also have an overhead U-shaped frame formed from a pair of frame walls rotatably attached to the sidepieces. Both of the frame walls have an attachment base having a length less than the length of the sidepieces and a parallel horizontal support with a length about equal to the attachment base. At least two vertical supports each have a first end attached to the attachment base and a second end attached to the horizontal support. One of the frame walls has frame receiving members positioned along the horizontal support
A top frame has at least a pair of supports, each of which has rotatable attachment members at a first end and interlocking members at a second end. The interlocking members being positioned to be received by the frame receiving members. A brace extends between the supports proximate the interlocking members. An appliance bar extends between the supports to enable at least one appliance to be positioned over a user. In one embodiment on end of the appliance bar is connected to a water source and sealed at a second end with multiple showerheads arranged along the bar. Alternatively heat lamps, fans or other appliances can be attached to the bar. A waterproof covering is preferably placed over the frame walls and top frame to maintain the water within the confines of the hydrotherapy table. The ends of the canopy structure can also be covered.
In the embodiment incorporating the canopy, the client is completely covered by the hydro wet-table canopy, blocking the client""s body from view by the therapist, with the exception of the head. This provides complete privacy, as well as maintains the temperature inside at approximately 90 degrees. On conventional wet-tables the client is in full view of the therapist and because the room temperature is approximately 70 degrees, the client often gets cold during the treatment.
The disclosed system is more hygienic than current hydro wet-tables by providing a vinyl cloth that covers the massage table surface and then another piece of comfortable, washable cloth is placed on the table that the client lays on. This cloth is machined washed after each treatment with a disinfectant for maximum hygiene. The disclosed drain system connects to an existing drain in the room or a drain can be brought to the wall of the room from water lines in the building. The hydro wet table conversion kit also eliminates the need for a wet-room as all the water during the treatment drains to the back of the table and to a drain and does not get on the floor.
The invention can also be used in a residential setting for persons who want spa treatments including hydrotherapy treatments in their home. They can have a trained massage therapist or esthetician come to their residence to perform treatments, which is already a common practice. The invention gives them the option to create a spa in their own home and when the room is needed for other purposes, the system can be easily disassembled and stored.